Whats in your pack?

[theultrarider]

the one thing that I see far too many people not having is a decent rope. That can make a huge difference in many situations. Sat at LLake we had a sled that blew a chain and chain case in the bottom of a ravine. It wasn't even part of our group we just stumbled on the 3 of them. Out of 13 sleds, only 2 of us had usable ropes. I carry a 50' length of 1/2" nylon in me sled as well as my wifes and my boys sled. They were not with me on sat but Ak900_rmk also had a good heavy long strap the when we hooked the two together,the 13 of us were able to hand-line, tug of war the dead sled out of the ravine and up on top where they could tow the dead sled out of there back to the truck. That sled was not coming out of there that night without it.They used my rope to tow their sled out and left my rope in my truck when they got down as well as a case of beer!!! Thanks guys!!! That rope has saved alot of sleds as well as alot of humans. Racket straps, don't cut it. they break way too easy.
Tim

 

[800HMRK]

Good thread, I've gotten lots of ideas on stuff to add.
Pistol
Shovel
Probe
Beacon (on me)
Saw (in my shovel handle)
First Aid kit
Jerky
Water
Extra gloves
Beanie
Extra goggles
Extra Batteries for my beacon
Flash light
T.P.
Candy bars
Tow strap in the sled
Extra jets
Lighters
Cell phone
Garmin Rhino GPS/2-way radio

 

[ALASKAF250]

This is what I typically carry:

In the coat / on the body
Tekvest, Proper layers of clothing for warmth and wicking, Digital camera, Cell phone, Defogging/deicing wipe for goggles, Avalanche beacon, Leatherman utility knife, Keys to the truck, Lighter, Gum, TP

In the back pack
First aid kit plus pain killer, Space blanket, Hand warmers, Extra gloves, Extra socks, Gum, candy, jerky, snickers, Water, LED Headlamp, Garmin Rino GPS Walkie Talkie, SOS Shovel – aluminum head, SOS Probe, Lighter, Firestarter

Tunnel bag on the sled
Hand and foot warmers, Extra gloves, Extra socks, Extra gator head band and balaclava, Money, ID, insurance card, registration, Laminated maps, Extra keys to truck/sleds, SOS Shovel – aluminum head, SOS Saw, Gum, candy, jerky energy bars, Bouillon cubes, Water and munchies, Fire starter, Lighter, Stainless steel cup, Sterno, Extra batteries, Compass / Plastic Whistle / Thermometer, Land shark sleeping bag, Duct Tape, Mini Flares, Zip ties, Bailing wire, Siphon, Tp, Ziploc bag (1-2), Large trash bag (1-2), Shop towels (2-3), 8 x 10 tarp, Nylon tow rope, Carabineers, a couple of nails and misc screws/bolts, Bungee cords, High temp silicone, Scotchbrite pad, Spare chain

In the trunk
Tools - lots of 'em, LED Flashlight

Under the hood
Spare plugs, Spare belt, Hatchet, Oil, Chaincase oil, Antifreeze, Spare goggles, Hot pockets / chicken strips in the muffpot

Skidoo gas can – full

Snow Shoes – zip tied to rear of tunnel

The funnest thing about this tread is the way the girl wrote her list and the way the men did. Hers is really organized and the men can barely spell what they have. But great thread I have been meaning to get one of those lasers.

 

[akhunter75]

you guys take way too much stuff!

Ok so I should take more emer items, anyway..... In handle bar bag: extra spare plugs, spring tool, electrical tape, zip ties,spare exaughst springs, spare starter rope, hose clamps, jet kit (on the ol sled), flashlight In my pack : (on my back ...not strapped the the tunnel! ) shovel, probe, spare batterys, GPS, spare gloves, water, granola bars, camera, spare goggles and of course theres the stock tool kit under the seat, extra spare belt (it's a M sled !) , and a long rope for towing

 

[oilkan]

Great list's guys, when i used to be into high ange rescue stuff, we used prusik (sp?) cord that was 7mm and had a tensile strength over 2000 lbs. Since it's small it's easy to store a lot of it, i usually keep a couple 25' lengths on hand, it works great for towing, and extending the snow bunjee. Most sporting goods stores should have it in their climbing section, i think i got mine at sportsmans warehouse last time.

 

[wildcard]

I used to post "the list" every winter on here where people could add there ideas about good stuff to carry. The best advice I can give is to park your sled in your back yard and try to spend the night. You will quickly find most of your emergency gear is crap. IE butane lighters, don't work when wet or cold. Chem lights, dont work in cold, space blankets, wind break at best.
Rember, when you need this stuf it's a worst case situation. Take every thing you have on your sled then stick your bare wet hands in the snow for ten minutes then try to start a fire with a lighter or waterproof matches. Aint gonna happen but thats exactly when you will need to do it.
What works? Road flares. a couple of 15 minute flares will save your butt. They burn at 1400 degrees and you can light them with frozen hands. Shelter? an 8X10 $3 blue tarp can be a tent/sleeping bag/wind break/body drag sled (to get your broken buddy out of a bad spot to someplace with shelter) and emergency signal. Blue stands out well in the snow, brown or green tend to blend in.
Everyone always lists toilet paper...How about a few paper towels? Wipe your butt, emergency wound dressing, twist them up and dip them in your gas tank for a fire starter or just to dry wet hands...
Go spend the night with someplace warm and dry near by and you will learn tons!

 

[Ridgerat]

After reading these posts and talking with a few fellow sledders, I decided to repack my gear and add some new goodies.


I carry the following stuff for every day use.
ON SLED
snow bungee
ski-doo tools plus some
extra gas
muff pot
extra belt
extra plugs
extra goggles
IN BACKPACK/COAT
leatherman
50' rope
10' rope
1st aid kit with good pain killers
esbit stove with extra fuel
aluminum shovel with saw
whistle
mirror
compass
gps
maps
2 lighters
small roll of twine
duct tape
small roll bailing wire
scotch bright pad
5 feet of clear 1/4" fuel hose
toilet paper
small pocket warmers
probe
beacon (not really in pack, but under it)
LED light
LED head lamp
stocking cap
extra warm gloves
mechanics gloves
face gator
thin poly face mask
extra batteries
cell phone
small garmin vhf radio
camera
extra belt
extra plugs
defog wipes
1 liter water
beef jerky
protien bar
trail mix

Vacuum sealed the following gear for survival situations only. I plan to cut into this bag every season to replace the stuff that will go bad. Bag weighs 6.5 pounds and I'll be carrying it in my backpack until I get a tunnel bag.
wool socks
wool ski mask
wool mittens
compact emergency blanket
thermal space blanket
2ea. large trash bags
2ea. 12" square tin foil
1ea. 12" square saran wrap
3ea. heavy paper towells
1ea. small roll toilet paper
3ea. small zip lock bags
4ea. AA batteries
6ea. AAA batteries
4ea. small pocket warmers
3ea. large pocket warmers
coleman 'kit-in-a-can'
3ea. 20 min. flares
4ea. 12 min. fire sticks
2ea. small candles
2ea. bic lighters
2ea. box water proof matches
LED flash light (with spare watch batteries)
LED strobe light (AAA batteries)
4ea, boullon cubes
tin cup with handle
pack of chewing gum
chapstick
2ea. protein bars
pack of hot tamales
goggle strap (to replace quick strap for goggle use without helmet)
3ea. EMERGEN-C super energy booster (vitamin pack)
20 ft twine
duct tape
2ea. rubber bands
4ea. zip ties
pocket knife

I think thats all! My backback with everday gear and survival gear weighs just under 20#. Kinda heavy, but I'll get used to it!

 

[HardcoreAK]

One more gotcha

Ever had a broken recoil? If you said NO I think yer lyin. The best emergency start strap I have seen is the one made by CAT. That cheap azz clip thing BRP has is junk.
I thought I was prepared for everything, piston, whatever until I ran across Seven Mile lake WFO on my old mod and melted the plastic recoil sheave until it was smokin. 60 miles from the truck. Didnt know what was smokin until after I had killed the motor... and had everything I could need except a spare sheave for the recoil. On the TRA clutch a rope doesnt work so well, I tried it for quite a while with no luck. But my bud's CAT flat strap worked like a charm. Rode the rest of the trip with it worked every time. Stuff the end in a hole, wrap it up and zoom...
Just my .0198

Hmm.. I didnt see ONE bungee cord in the thread...LOL

Something I dont leave home without is SEAL-ALL... its glue that will seal up even in leaking gas and will glue anything, dries in minutes enough to stop a leak and it will last quite a while in the cold before it gets thickened
I carry:
Lots of big and small ZIP TIES (enough to fix a track...and yes proven it will work)
An actual spring tool for the pipes
A good SAW is priceless, I like the Grizz-Saw by the Spyderco guys its compact and hella tough
Like Tim said you cannot have enough rope

Im gettin one of those Garmin Rino GPS/FRS - GMRS radios what a killer tool

Theres a cool new gadget on avalanchetools.com that looked interesting, about being able to use GPS satellites to communicate with the network and send a txt message home, even wheres theres no cell coverage...

 

[akflyer]

rum and hot damn

 

[snugcove]

Only thing I carry not metioned is stainless steel wire and a M6 scout(ultra lite weight rifle/shotgun .22hornet/.410 which is great for deer as well as anything smaller. folds in half and fits in most windshied bags as well as any backpack.

 

[badkitty]

The funnest thing about this tread is the way the girl wrote her list and the way the men did. Hers is really organized and the men can barely spell what they have. But great thread I have been meaning to get one of those lasers.

LMFAO!! I got hot coffee coming out my nose. Thanx!! That's some funny ****!!!!!

p.s. note the spelling. I'm still freakin laughing. My wife gives me crap all the time about this...

 

[Bandit907]

After last weekend I added a spring tool, metric allen wrenches and a screw driver that has torx, flat and phillips heads on it.

 

[AKviper]

Don't laugh too hard but, the tampons with strings. If you had to you can dip one in your fuel tank and use it to start a fire.

 

[TREEKILLER]

i fill my pack with rocks really heavy ones

 

[akeddie]

"the pack"

i have started thinking about hauling a small sled with a small tent and sleeping bag then just un hook it when i want to play put one of those flags they use in the dunes so i can find it later , i carry a bunch of stuff already but for some of the rides into the boonies i would like to have a little shelter cuz spending the night out in the cold with a broken sled sucks!

 

[MARV1]

this and that

Hmmm, I'll finally try to add what I carry:
1 50' of rope
1 15' of rope
3-4 candybars
couple other snacks for energy when needed
dried salmon for fat calories/energy
couple game bags
1 quart of hot liquids in thermos
1 quart of warm liquids in container to drink throughout the day, cools off eventually
extra gloves, face masks, sometimes socks
space blanket sometimes
lighter/instant heat canisters
knife/hatchet
sandwich on longer days, usually March/April/May
handheld radio on me
flashlight on me to keep warm
camera for those moments
tools in sled, extra plugs, oil, etc.
rifle and shells, I'm out hunting, usually
probably missed a couple items,

 

[The Fourth Wolf]

Good lists guys...
Everybody seems to have the essentials covered pretty well.

I would like to add a few of things...some to put in your pack and a couple to put in your head...

For the pack: For those looking for a good rope, REI carries 8mm accessory cord in pre-cut and packaged 100 foot lengths. It's officially "accessory" cord but 8mm is plenty stout enough that you can rappel on it. New in the package, it's about the size of a wrapped 6" subway sandwich. To go with that I carry 4 oval carabiners with the slip-on pulley wheels. 100 feet of good rope and a few pulleys do wonders for getting sleds and riders out of ravines....ahem. I also carry a climbers rescue "8" in the event I ever have to rappel down to someone hurt. Also...put string pull-tabs on all zippers that don't have them.

For the brain....NEVER and I mean NEVER trust your life to a gizmo you have not practiced with. Play with your survival gear at home or on "easy" trail rides. Pretend you have a broken arm or fingers and see how easy your stuff is to use 1 handed. Practice building fires and getting in and out of your pack with one arm/hand. Learn how and where (and where not) to build snow shelters--Thermal A-Frame, Tree-Well, Snow Cave, and Quinzee. The A-Frame is the most work and cannot be built 1 handed but they are bomb proof and warm.

Final thought: Stashing stuff like tools and part on the sled itself is fine, but since so many of us ride in places where getting separated from the machine is a real possibility, make sure your survival gear is strapped onto your body.

Ride hard....drive home

 

[Powdown]

All this stuff is asome when it comes to easy shelter dig down and take pannels and hood off sled to help block wind and snow block wind

 

[Dash]

I sometimes bring small come-along (no idea how to spell that), especially if I travel with 1 person only and we are not sure of rivers, holes etc.

 

[RMK SeVeN]

Haven't posted on this thread yet but awesome thread.

Saw that the thread hadn't been hit since the end of the riding season and figured I'd make it bold again!

I learned tons of stuff reading this thread!

Anyone have anything else to add that they found out or learned since last season?